The first group of 600 pilgrims from north China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region flew to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Monday morning to participate in the hajj.

A total of 1,000 Muslims from the region, including 300 Hui women, are expected to perform the pilgrimage this year, a further 400 of whom will set off on Wednesday, said Li Lan, director of the regional Administration of Religious Affairs.

Ningxia, with a population of 2 million Hui, is one of the China's five autonomous regions. According to Xinhua News Agency today, as its economy develops and living standards improve, more and more Muslims are traveling to Mecca to join in the hajj.

Chang Qingliang, an Islamic Association of China official, said an estimated 6,900 Chinese Muslims will go to Mecca in 2006.

From December 15 to 27, there will be direct flights to Saudi Arabia from four Chinese cities: Beijing, Lanzhou, Urumqi and Kunming.

This year, since Ningxia pilgrims can fly direct from Lanzhou in neighboring Gansu Province, each of their expenses will drop to 26,000 yuan (US$3,000), said Xinhua.

The first group of Chinese Muslims left Lanzhou for Mecca on December 15.

(Xinhua News Agency December 20, 2005)